Improvement in buckles



F. W. SCHAFER.'

BUCKLES.

Patented Feb.13, 1877.

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UNITED STATES PATENT DEEIGEu FREDERICK W. SCHFER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 187,237, datedFebruary 13, 1877; application filed August 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHFER,of Piccadilly and Golden Square, London, England, have invented a Buckleor Fastening for Straps and Bands, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is the production of a buckle whereby a strapor band may not only be tightened with facility, but may be loosenedwithout first increasing the strain, which is a great defect of theordinary buckle.

My buckle is formed by the. combination of a hinged plate or tongue withanother plate, to be attached to the strap, band, or article to whichthe buckle is to be applied, in such a manner that the movable end ofthe strap or band being passed between the ixed plate or tongue or bodyand an intermediate springplate, is held securely within the buckle by atooth on the hinged plate or tongue passing through a perforation in thestrap or band.

On the accompanying sheet ol'drawing, Figures l and 2 represent a frontand side view of my buckle as generally constructed; Fig. 3 being asimilar view to Fig. 2, but having the tongue or hinged plate raised;and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are similar views to the above, but illustrate abuckle with the addition of a metal slide.

A is the ixed plate or body ot' the buckle, by which it is attached tothe strap, band, or other article to which it is to be applied. B is thehinged plate or tongue. This plate need not necessarily be of thebreadth shown, but may be simply a hinged tongue or bar with the tooth Oat its end. O, tooth for holding moveable end of strap or band D, hinge;E, intermediate plate supporting hinge.V This plate may extend thelength of the buckle, as shown, or be simply a crossbar or plate forminga fulcrum to hinge D. F, metal slide attached to the end of strap, andinto the perforations of which enters the tooth .O on the hinged plateor tongue B.

`Among the innumerable applications of my novel buckle, that which Ideem the most in valuable is its application to surgical bandages.

Surgeons, and more particularly army surgeons, while compelled to usethe ordinary buckle for securing splints or bandages upon a brokenlirnb, or a wounded soldier upon a litter, have exclaimed against thebarbarous expedient which necessitated au increase of pressure upon thelimb or upon tbe body of the sufferer, and therefore increased agony,before too tight a bandage could be loosened and, further, which leftthe sufferer in the in ipossibility, in most cases, of obtaining thisrelief without assistance.

Assuming a strap or band to be securing splints to a broken limb bymeans of the ordinary buckle, and it is desirable to relieve thepressure on the limb, this can only be done by lirst increasing thetension by pulling thestrap farther through or into the buckle until theprong comes from the hole in the strap, and probably needs more strengththan the sufferer can exert.

Now, with my novel buckle all that is necessary to relieve the pressureis to lift the hinged plate or tongue either with the inger and thumb,or by lifting the movable end of' the strap, and to let the strap run,or pull it farther out of the buckle, and when the pressure on the limbis sufliciently relievedl the buckle will either reiasten by thestopping ofthe run ofthe strap, so that the tooth will not pass over theholes, or by simply letting go the hinged plate, or pushing it down intothe strap until the tooth enters one oi its perforations, the exertionrequired in the loosening and fastening being so slight that any patientnot utterly exhausted will be capable ot' it, and the action being suchthat it is not neces` sary that the patient should shift his position tolook at thebuckle during this operation.

The facility of loosening the strap or band without first pulling ittighter, and the dat form of my buckle, render it very applicable tosaddlery and harness.

The addition of the metal plate F, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, will be founddesirable when applying my buckle as a fastening for pocket-books,gloves, garters, and wherever a very thin or very flexible hand is used.

I claim as my invention- A buckle composed of a iixed plate or body, A,a hinged tongue plate, B, and a springplate, E, all combined as shownand described, and for the purpose specified.

FREDERICK W. SOHFER.

l/Vitnesses:

ALBERT VERNON JoENsoN, JOHN REYNOLDS.

